*The "up to" speed displayed in Mb is the maximum possible speed you are likely to receive for this product. The actual speed you will get depends on your cabling, your area and (with non-fibre optic products) time of day and how far you are from the telephone exchange. Most providers will tell you the likely speed you will receive when you begin your online sign up - this may differ from the speed displayed in the table.

How does fibre optic broadband work?

Fibre optic (fiber optic) broadband is delivered by cables in the ground, unlike ADSL broadband that runs over copper telephone wires. Fibre optic (or fiber optic if you're in the US) broadband is so much faster because cables are much better and quicker at carrying data than traditional copper wires.

Fibre optic cables are made of glass or plastic, both of which are materials that facilitate fast movement of data along their length. In traditional ADSL broadband, which is delivered along copper wire, speed is lost quickly over long distances, with the result that speeds vary depending on how far a house is from the exchange.

With fibre optic broadband, however, less speed is lost over long distances. This makes it a superior option for those looking for super-fast broadband.

Which providers offers fibre optic broadband?

As recently as 2010, Virgin Media was the only UK fibre optic broadband provider. With maximum speeds of 152Mbps, it's still one of the fastest services around.

However, since then a host of competitors have come to market with rival products. Not least BT, whose lightning fast Infinity products are available in a choice of fibre to the cabinet or pure fibre options. Choose the latter and you can expect speeds of up to 330Mbps in select areas. Go with the former and the fastest connection available is up to 76Mbps.

TalkTalk's top-end fibre broadband product also offers speeds of up to 76Mbps, as does Plusnet's, TalkTalk's and EE's.

Fibre broadband customers on the Sky's and John Lewis's premium service, meanwhile, can expect top speeds of up to 38Mbps, while 39Mbps is up for grabs with Eclipse.

Find out about BT Infinity and compare the best Infinity deals at uSwitch's BT Infinity page

Virgin Media fibre optic broadband packages

Virgin Media has a range of fibre optic broadband offers to suit every need and, more importantly, every pocket. The sheer speed of Virgin Media's service means its offerings are many people's pick as the best fibre optic broadband deals around.

Standalone broadband: Virgin Media's fibre optic broadband gives customers outstanding value without asking them to commit to transferring other utilities too. So-called broadband only deals can be a great way of saving money if you don't need a landline.

The fastest broadband speed on offer with a Virgin Media fibre optic broadband deal is 152Mbps, which sit alongside more keenly priced 60Mbps services. If you're in a large town or city, there's a very, very good chance you'll be able to sign up for Virgin Media cable broadband.

TalkTalk, Eclipse & Plusnet fibre broadband

TalkTalk, EE and Plusnet all use BT's fibre to the cabinet technology to deliver maximum broadband speeds of up to 76Mbps. All three stand out for generous usage limits and offer free routers and are available in large towns and cities where BT has upgraded its network.

Customers on standard ADSL broadband TalkTalk packages can upgrade to TalkTalk's fibre optic service by adding a TalkTalk Fibre Optic Boost to their package for an additional monthly fee.

Fibre optic broadband availability?

Cable broadband is available to millions of UK households mostly in towns and cities. If you are not sure whether you can access cable broadband at home, use our postcode checker to find out.

If you're not in a Virgin Media cable area or you're in a part of the country where BT's pure fibre broadband service has yet to reach, you may still be able to get a super-fast fibre connection with BT's fibre to the cabinet Infinity broadband service or from the providers detailed above who use BT's network intrastructure.

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